SPECIFIC IDEAS FOR TEACHING ACADEMIC STRATEGIES, AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL, IN A BLENDED FORMAT I have been teaching

Academic Strategies, a college orientation class, in a face-to-face format. This course can be redesigned and taught in a blended format. Academic Strategies is a course that orients students to TCC campuses and college services, emphasizing personal and social strategies to increase student involvement in college and community activities. This class requires students to analyze and apply study techniques and behavior patterns essential to college success, apply critical and creative thinking skills to solve academic and social problems, and construct goals and time plans to balance work, school, and family.

Who is the audience? Traditional and non-traditional students that are considered firsttime freshmen at the community college level. This course is a good fit for those students that have little knowledge of what college is all about. I would like to have the opportunity to work on a one-one-one basis with those students that enroll in the class; therefore, I think that having a maximum of 15 students in the class is reasonable. What is the audience's knowledge of the subject? These first time freshmen will have limited knowledge on study techniques and behavior patterns essential to college success. I assume that the majority of my audience members require information on how to apply critical and creative thinking skills to solve academic and social problems, and construct goals and time plans to balance work, school, and family. What is the environment? Given that I am teaching a blended class at Tulsa Community College, my students will need to have Internet access to complete their online assignments. If the students do not have Internet at home, they can access any of the computer labs at any TCC location.

For the creation of this online course, I will be using Blackboard as the main channel of communication with my students when it comes to important announcements, assignments submission, tests, and resources that will enhance the content of the course. Additionally, I will be using the website I created for my Computer Based Instructional Development class (academicstrategies101.weebly.com), as a tool that will help students rehearse and master the materials learned throughout the semester. Teaching Methods: class sessions will include direct teaching, whole group discussion, lab work, small group work, formal workshops (guest speakers), and individual conferences with professor. Course Delivery Method: Blended - 50% Blackboard Course Objectives: in a 16-week semester, students enrolled in my Academic Strategies class will learn how to: 1. Use personal and social strategies to succeed in and enjoy the college experience and to become involved in college and community activities; 2. Identify and apply college and academic terminology;

3. Construct short-term and long-term goals, balancing personal skills, interests, personality, and values. Construct and monitor weekly/ monthly time plans to balance work, school, family, and social activities; 4. Locate and apply college resources and support systems and incorporate these into the learning process (Career Center, Advisement, Financial Aid, Learning Resource Center, Computer Labs, and Support Labs); 5. Analyze and modify study techniques and behavior patterns to successfully complete homework, reading assignments, exams, and special projects; 6. Apply critical and creative thinking skills to identify and solve academic and social problems. These objectives are compatible with Standard A for online teaching, which states that the online teacher knows the primary concepts and structures of effective online instruction and is able to create learning experiences to enable student success. In enabling student success, I plan to incorporate the premises of the Constructivist Learning Theory. This theory explains that humans construct most of what they learn. I would like for my students to identify and construct the tools they think will be beneficial in their college and professional careers. When assessing my students in the context of my course discipline, I will take into consideration Standard C for online teaching, which states that the online teacher plans, designs, and incorporates strategies to encourage active learning, application, interaction, participation, and collaboration in the online environment. The following strategies will be used: Attendance and In-class Participation, Two Exams (1 online exam and 1 paper-based exam), BlackBoard Project, Career Project (two Workshops, Cover Letter, Resume, and Job Interview), Oral Presentation (Pre-writing, Draft and Peer Critique, Tutoring Appointment, Essay), Time Management On-line Assignments (interactive applications), Learning Resource Center Project, Final Portfolio, Community Service Project. Taking into consideration Standards E and F, my blended class will model the following guidelines to help insure that my students experience a successful and productive semester in this class: - ATTITUDE: the attitude a student takes toward learning affects the students success in a course. Students will be shown how to take responsibility for their own learning. - STUDENT CODE HANDBOOK: students will be expected to abide by the rules and regulations in TCCs Student Code Handbook. - CONTACTING INSTRUCTOR: students will learn how important it is to keep professors informed of their situation in the course. - RESPECT: during small group sessions, students should treat group participants with respect and consideration. Student comments should be directly related to the group topic and not directed at members of the group. If a conflict arises in a group session, please alert me immediately. - UNIVERSAL DESIGN: it is the policy and practice of Tulsa Community College to create inclusive learning environments. Accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act will be provided to all students that self-identify throughout the course of the class.